Wrench



Dec. 13, 1938.

J. K. ANDERSON ET Al.

' WRENCH AFiled Aug. 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOS der.; o n

0 0000000. 000. A ,0.000, 0000000. N0N0N00. 0000 0 00000. 000000. 00000. 0000. 0000 0000 0000000. 000000. 0000000. 000000A 0000000. 0000000. 00000.A 0000000. 303

O D Q ATTORNEY.

Dec. 13, 1938. .1 K. ANDERSON l-:T'AL 2,139,650

' WRENCH Fiied Aug. 1, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTORS v Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRENCH Application August 1, 1936, Serial No. 93,753

1 Claim.

This invention relates to wrenches and the object of the invention is to provide a wrench having a roller clutch normally locking the rotor from movement in relation to the remainder of 5 the wrench and provided with means for releasing the rotor to free rotation in one direc tion or the other. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench including a rotor for turning a nut and a roller clutch for locking the rotor to the Wrench, a ring being provided carrying pins whereby movement of the ring in relation to the remainder of the wrench will free the rotor to relative movement in one direction in relation to the wrench.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench including a roller clutch having a series of six rollers arranged in three pairs and provided with means for manually releasing one roller of each pair to allow free movement of the wrench handle in one direction and allowing operative movement of the handle in the other direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for releasing the handle to free rotation in either direction by always maintaining a locking connection between the handle and rotor in one direction or the other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ring rotatably mounted in the wrench and provided witlra handle for turning the ring, and pins extending from the ring and arranged to disengage certain of the clutch rollers to allow free movement of the handle in one direction or the other.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained .1.0 is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a plan View of a wrench embodying our invention and showing the clutch rollers in position to lock the handle and rotor together for turning movement in either direction.

Fig. 2 is a View with the cover plate removed showing one roller of each pair disengaged to allow free movement of the wrench handle in one direction.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the other rollers disengaged to allow free movement of the handle in the opposite direction.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective ViewA of the ring for manually releasing the rollers.

The wrench handle I, shown in Fig. 1, is pro- 1'0" vided with a head 2. This head 2 is provided with a circular recess 3 in the face thereof shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and arranged to receive the cover plate 4 shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 4.

The opposite face of the wrench head 2 is pro- 15':

vided with a circular recess to receive the operating ring 5 shown more particularly in Fig. 5. The head 2 is provided with a central bore 6 to receive the cylindrical portion 'I of the rotor 8 and this cylindrical portion 'I is supported be- 20 tween the plates 4 and 5. About the central bore 6 is a series of three recesses 9 shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3 and a pair of rollers I0 and II are mounted in each recess 9.` A curved metal spring I2 is mounted between each 25 roller I0 or II and the end of its recess and these springs I2 urge the rollers towards the center of each recess into wedging engagement between the bottom wall I3 of each recess and the cylindrical portion 'I of the rotor 8. The 30 three lugs I4 between the three recesses 9 are each provided with an .aperture I5 to receive the screw I6 of the cover plate 4 as will be understood from Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 and the operating ring 5 is provided with a series of three upwardly 35 extending pins II shown more particularly in Fig. 5. Each pin I'I extends into the respective recess 9 between the rollers I0 and II therein as will be understood from Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 and the operating ring 5 is provided with an operating handle I8 on the underside of the wrench for turning the operating ring as will understood more particularly from b g y 3 4, 5 and 6. The operatin S Wlthm the 0 is provided to hold the operating ring 5 in place.

With the operating ring in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, neither of the rollers I0 or II are engaged by the pins I'I and conse- 50 quently all of the rollers Il) and II are urged by their springs I2 into wedging engagement between the bottom I3 of the respective recess and the cylindrical portion I of the nut engaging member or rotor. When in this position as 55 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, turning of the handle I in either direction will turn the rotor with the handle. By holding the wrench in the hand and pushing with the thumb on the handle I8 the handle may be turned to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This will turn the operating ring 5 in a clockwise direction so that the pins I2 engage the rollers I0 and move said rollers out of wedging engagement. When in this position, the wrench handle and head may be turned in a counter-clockwise direction in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2 and will turn the rotor 8 with the wrench handle due to the fact that turning movement of the handle in this direction tends to increase the wedging action of the rollers II. However, in the reverse direction, the handle I may be freely turned due to the fact that the rollers Ii) are disengaged at this time and turning movement of the handle in the reverse direction will tend to move the rollers II out of wedging engagement.

By pushing on the other side of the handle I8 the operating ring 5 may be turned in the opposite direction to engage the pins I2 against the rollers II and move the three rollers II out of locking engagement as shown in Fig. 3.

At this time, turning movement of the Wrench handle in a counter-clockwise direction, indicated .A by the arrow in Fig. 3, will carry the rotor 8 with the handle due to the fact that it increases wedging action of the rollers I0 between the cylindrical portion 1 of the nut engaging member 8 and the bottom I3 of the recesses Il` and, at the same time, counter-clockwise rotation of the handle I will be free due to the fact that turning movement of the handle I in this direction tends to move the rollers ID out of wedging engagement. By turning the operating ring back to the central position, the pins I2 are moved to a neutral position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, at which time, both sets of rollers I0 and Il are in wedging engagement and lock the rotor 8 to the handle during rotation in both directions.

An alternative form of the wrench is shown in v Figs. '7, 8 and 9. In this case, the rotor 8 is also provided with a square end 29 in the center to t in the square recess 30 in the nut engaging member 3l shown in Fig. l0. This nut engaging member 3| is provided with an hexagonal socket or recess 32 to engage over a nut to be turned. However, the form shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is a smaller form of wrench and only one recess 9 is provided for the single pair of rollers I0 and II. The head 2 is provided with extensions 22 and 23 on opposite sides thereof and a transverse bore 24 is provided through the head and extensions 22 and 23. A coiled spring 25 is provided for each roller I0 and Il and a plug 26. is threaded into each end of the bore 24 to apply pressure to the springs 25 and urge the rollers IU and II into wedging engagement between the cylindrical surface 'I of the rotor 8 and the bottom I3 of the recess 9.

In this form of the device, the ring 5 is provided with a single pin 21 which extends into the recess 9 between the two rollers I0 and II and is provided with the handle I8 by which the ring and pin 2'I may be turned to position to disengage one roller or the other from locking engagement with the rotor or nut engaging member 8.

This wrench has numerous advantages over the ratchet type wrench employing teeth in that during operation the slightest movement of the handle will turn the rotor with the handle. In a ratchet wrench employing teeth it is necessary to move the handle suiciently to engage the next tooth of the ratchet when working in close places while our wrench may be utilized where only a very slight movement of the handle is possible.

From the foregoing Adescription it becomes evident that the device is very simple and eicient in operation, will not easily get out of order, may be operated in places impossible for use of an ordinary or ratchet type wrench and provides a device which accomplishes the objects described.

Having thus fully described our invention, its utility and mode of operation, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States isz- In a wrench, a handle having a head, a rotor rotatably mounted in the head and having a cy lindrical periphery, the head being provided with a series of recesses arranged about the cylindrical portion of the rotor, a pair of rollers in each recess, spring means urging each roller into locking engagement between the cylindrical portion of the rotor and the bottom of the respective recess, the wrench head having a cylindrical recess in one side pro-vided with an undercut edge, an annular member rotatably mounted in the circular recess, a snap ring positioned between the undercut edge of the circular recess and the annular member to retain the annular member ln position, a series of pins carried by the annular member and extending into the recesses between the rollers therein, the arrangement being such J OHN KEITH ANDERSON. TRUMAN JOHNSON. 

